Optical proximity correction (OPC) is a term used to refer to a collection of techniques used to correct distortions in sub-wavelength photolithography. These distortions include line width variations, shortening of lines, and rounding of corners that are dependent on pattern density and other proximity factors. OPC is used to alter the photomask geometries to anticipate and compensate for these proximity effects. Typically, a photolithography mask is designed according to circuit geometries and layout, and then its geometries are modified in an OPC step. The OPC-modified photomask pattern comprises “serifs” added to line corners, “jogs” or extensions added to line-ends, and other OPC features that generally increase the non-linearity of the mask pattern.
Although OPC has been an important technique to compensate for optical proximity effects, it also has introduced difficulties in another area of photomask production. The successful manufacture of these masks requires the detection, measurement and evaluation of defects on the photomasks. However, the OPC features added to the photomask pattern has made the mask verification process very difficult. Conventional metrology tools are designed to measure the distance between line edges. If the edges are irregular curves, making edge-to-edge measurement becomes a challenge task. For example, some metrology tools require an edge used in measurements to be a straight edge of at least 2 μm long. Because of the added OPC features, this requirement is difficult to satisfy for the number of measurements needed for mask verification.